Review: Nice Girls Finish First

July 17, 2009 by Rian
Filed under 4 Star, Reviews, Working Girl Lit

nicegirls Are you too nice for your own good? Or… are you a type of person that would never be labeled as “nice” in a million years? Even if you are neither of these, you will most likely enjoy Alesia Holliday’s latest novel Nice Girls Finish First.

This book is told from two points of view. Firstly, there is Kirby, VP of marketing for a sex toy manufacturer. She is a type of woman that has never been mistaken for being nice. As a matter of fact, after recently firing most of her department, her boss Banning Stuart has issued an ultimatum: Kirby either gets someone to declare that she is nice, or she will not be able to go on the Italian vacation she has planned. Not only that, she will lose her job. Kirby steps up to the challenge, albeit a bit reluctantly. After all, you don’t get ahead in life by being nice, right?

Then there is Brianna, Kirby’s assistant. She is Kirby’s opposite: just too nice for her own good. She is currently engaged to a sweet guy named Lyle, and trying to make it as an Opera singer. Putting up with Kirby’s terrible handwriting and tempers isn’t easy, but she is determined to do her job well. When Brianna finds about Kirby’s challenge, she decides to help her out.

With the quirky characters and sometimes laugh-out-loud madcap moments that Holliday is known for, Nice Girls Finish First is a completely enjoyable read. It’s intriguing to be able to see both sides of the coin: a girl who is too nice and a girl who is too mean. There is also a romantic side plot to both girls’ stories that I loved.

The plot was a tiny bit far-fetched – after all, an office bet that hinges on a person being called nice doesn’t happen much in real life, but Alesia Holliday does a wonderful job of keeping it realistic despite the circumstances. I really couldn’t find anything about this novel I didn’t enjoy.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel for some good, solid, romantic summer reading. Fans of this author’s other book will also enjoy this novel, although it’s not quite as zany or hilarious. I’m looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next!

Nice Girls Finish First
by Alesia Holliday
Berkley Sensation
July 2005
4/5 Stars